Moving In 2 of 52
by Echowarrior
Summary: The Autobots and Decepticons begin to settle in for the war on Earth, while Starscream begins to put his own plans into motion.
1. Chapter 1

Moving In

A Transformers: Armada Story

By William Rendfeld

The Earth, a shimmering sphere in the void of space. A shining blue world, teaming with life and energy. Unbeknownst to the majority of its inhabitants, the human race, they are no longer alone. The Transformers have arrived.

* * *

In the Oregon mountain ranges, hidden beneath a cloaking field, lay the _Ark_, the grand vessel and transport for the Autobots. As they waited within their craft, a Laserbeak unit flew through the skies, returning with collected data on local vehicles. It clicked into a specialized slot on the _Ark_'s hull, relaying its data to the ship's computer, Teletran 1.

Within the ship, six massive CR Chambers stood, their status displays reading the information sent by the Laserbeak unit. At their feet and surrounding a small console were Alexis, Carlos, and the Autobot-aligned Mini-Cons.

"Scanning and replication process commencing," Teletran 1 reported. "Process will complete in ten cycles."

"I don't get why they'd need to scan local vehicles," Carlos noted. "I mean, they turn into vehicles, don't they?"

"Advanced vehicles, Carlos," Grindor reminded him. "You humans may be pretty well on your way, but you don't have hover vehicles and such yet. Replicating Earth vehicles will allow us to conceal ourselves from human eyes, and maybe the Decepticons."

In a secluded corner of the room, Rad leaned against the wall, lost among his thoughts.

"Rad? Hey, Rad!" Alexis called, heading towards him, "you okay?"

"Yeah, just thinking," Rad replied. "That maybe all of this is my fault."

"Your fault?" Alexis replied, incredulously.

"I touched the panel, remember?" Rad pointed out. "It's my fault that the Decepticons are even here."

"Yeah, but that same signal brought the Autobots," Alexis pointed out. "Besides, it's also my fault in a way. I should've warned you and Carlos about touching anything in the pod when we went in. I guess I need to learn to not assume things as much."

"Maybe, but you didn't actually touch the console," Rad reminded her. "I did what I did, so it's pretty much my fault what happened next. We wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for me."

Alexis gave a downcast look, unsure of how to respond to that, before another voice added, "I wouldn't say that." As the two humans looked to the source of the voice, High Wire continued, "It was only a matter of time before any pod here on Earth was found. Someone would've caused the Autobots and Decepticons to come to us anyway. Perhaps it's best that it was here and now, rather than later." Her optics seeming to convey a kindly look, she noted, "Besides, you did give us a fighting chance, getting us out of there. I'm grateful for it. And I think Prime is too."

Rad smiled slightly, then replied, "Thanks, High Wire."

"Any time," High Wire replied.

Suddenly, a chime sounded, alerting those within that the CR Chambers had completed their work. As Rad, Alexis and High Wire moved to get a better view, Sparkplug announced, "They're done."

With those words, the first of the six CR Chambers opened, and Hot Shot slowly rolled out in his new vehicle mode, a modified sports car.

"Whoa, would you look at me!" Hot Shot exclaimed as he transformed. Examining his new robot mode, he noted, "Nice."

As another chamber opened, Blurr rolled out in his vehicle mode, a gray sports car of different make than Hot Shot, and noted, "Don't be too impressed with yourself, Hot Shot." He transformed, and noted, "I could probably still beat you on the Iacon Race Circuit, in either mode."

"Wanna make a bet, Blurr?" Hot Shot shot back.

"Knock it off you two," another voice intoned as the third chamber opened, allowing Smokescreen in his new vehicle mode, that of a utility truck, to exit and transform. "There's no use fighting among ourselves, not now and not ever."

"Smokescreen's right," Scavenger noted as he emerged from his chamber, still transformed into his new vehicle mode, a bulldozer. He transformed to robot mode and said, "We have bigger concerns."

"My apologies, sir," Hot Shot noted. "I did start the argument."

"Don't be hard on him, Scavenger," Red Alert noted, driving out of his chamber in his new vehicle mode, that of an SUV. He transformed to robot mode and noted, "He's been cooped up in this ship for the past few hours. I'd be a little rough about things too if I were him."

Scavenger smiled slightly, and noted, "Don't worry, Red. I won't be too hard on them." Turning to the kids and kneeling down, he asked, "So, you kids like the ship?"

"Yeah, it's pretty cool," Carlos admitted. "A little overwhelming, but cool."

"Try to enjoy it," Rollbar suggested. "You kids are the first humans to step inside an Autobot vessel. And for now at least, you're probably going to be the only ones."

"Hopefully, however, they won't be the only ones ever," Optimus Prime noted as he rolled out of his chamber. His cab disconnected from his trailer, and Optimus transformed into his primary robot mode. Looking at his comrades, he noted, "I'm glad to see that everyone's adjusted to their new vehicle modes. We'll need them to help camouflage ourselves." Turning to the tree human children, he then asked, "So, how do we look?"

"Well, you don't look exactly like them," Rad admitted, "but you do look pretty close."

"Yeah, why can't you totally replicate Earth vehicles?" Carlos asked.

"There's only so much that Teletran-1 can do," Red Alert explained. "It converted us as best it could without interfering with the technology already built into us. If it had totally converted our vehicle modes, we'd be left without the few advantages we have over the Decepticons."

"Speaking of whom, they're still out there somewhere," Smokescreen noted. "And until we find their base, you kids are vulnerable."

"Vulnerable?" Alexis asked.

"Smokescreen's right," Scavenger noted, rising to his full height. "Both Megatron and Thrust saw you kids with the Mini-Cons. By now, each of the Decepticons near Earth probably knows about you kids. For all they know, you may know where the rest of the Mini-Cons are."

"But we don't," Rad protested.

"We realize that, Rad," Optimus Prime noted. "The Decepticons, however, don't. Which means it would be wise to have someone with you three as much as possible."

"Optimus," High Wire spoke up, Grindor and Sureshock taking up positions around her. "We'd like to volunteer. Their vehicles were destroyed by Megatron, and as far as we know, those were their only means of transport. They'll need something to replace them, and someone to help keep them safe."

Optimus nodded in understanding, and replied, "Then it's settled. The Street Action Team will watch over the kids for now. In the meantime, it would probably be best if you kids went home."

"I'll take them, Optimus," Hot Shot volunteered. "It'll give me and Jolt the chance to do some reconnaissance in the area, in case it's needed."

"Agreed," Optimus replied. "Report back as soon as you can."

"Understood, sir," Hot Shot replied, transforming to vehicle mode. "C'mon kids, hop in."

* * *

Elsewhere, on the Moon, the Decepticons had also completed their conversion for combat on Earth.

"Hey, look at me, guys!" Cyclonus noted excitedly. "I bet my new vehicle mode oughta take a few chunks out of that brat Autobot!"

"Cool your circuits, Cyclonus," Demolishor noted as he transformed from his modified tank mode. "We're lucky Starscream even considered these new modes. If he hadn't, the Autobots would be after us like Sharkticons to titanium."

"Your statement is correct, Demolishor," Thrust added, examining himself as his comrades had. "Admittedly, I'm a little irritated having lost actual hands, but I'll manage."

"We had all best manage," Megatron boomed as he rolled into the chamber in his new tank mode, Starscream following him in his robot mode. Megatron transformed, and noted, "If we are to find the Mini-Cons and claim as many of them as we can before the Autobots, then we shall need to manage these new forms as best we can. Although, Starscream, these vehicle modes do look more like Cybertronian vehicles than human ones."

"I was forced to adapt the designs a bit, to help accommodate for our own internal systems and built-in weapons," Starscream replied. "In the meantime, I think it's best that we get an idea of what these vehicle modes are capable of. We'll be able to formulate strategies against the Autobots better with that information available to us."

"A very true thought, Starscream, yes," Megatron noted. "Decepticons, transform to vehicle mode and exit the ship. We have weapons to test."

As the other Decepticons transformed to vehicle mode, Starscream noted, "I'll be a little late to the tests."

"Why for, Starscream?" Megatron asked. "Are we somehow embarrassed by our choice of vehicle mode?"

"No, I simply want to make certain that the scanners begin a complete scan of Earth before we leave," Starscream replied. "With luck, they'll have found another Mini-Con stasis unit by the time we return from the exercises."

"Ah, excellent," Megatron said before transforming. "Just be certain to join us within five cycles, is that clear?"

"Of course, Megatron," Starscream replied as the Decepticons moved out, Thrust and Cyclonus moving with the assistance of miniature thrusters studded throughout their bodies.

As they exited, Starscream walked to a small console and quickly typed in some data. "Arrogant fool," Starscream noted. "He's insane to think we have a right to control the Mini-Cons." Finishing his scanning program, he then wired in a small transmission. "This is Starscream. Have arrived on Earth. Autobots have so far found six Mini-Cons, Megatron none. Future updates will be erratic. Do not fear, apprise others of situation. Signing off." He sent the small transmission, deleted it from the ship's files, then transformed into his modified jet mode and, assisted by small thrusters, flew off.

* * *

After a short thirty-minute drive, Hot Shot finally drove into the kids' hometown, the Street Action Team Powerlinked to his spoiler. As he drove, Jolt flew overhead, taking detailed scans of the area.

"Here's my stop, Hot Shot," Rad said as the Autobot pulled up in front of a small suburban house. Rad climbed out and gave his good-byes to Alexis and Carlos as High Wire disengaged herself from Hot Shot.

"Take care, Rad!" Hot Shot called as he drove off.

Rad quickly took hold of High Wire's handlebars and guided her towards the garage of his home, leaving her within as he went inside.

"Hey Mom, I'm...!" Rad called as he entered his home's living room. He stopped in surprise and said in absolute astonishment, "...Home."

"Bradley, you're home early," Rad's mother noted. "I wasn't expecting you for another half hour."

"Don't be too hard on her, Rad," Ms. Masters, Rad's social studies teacher, noted from her perch on the sofa. "She wasn't expecting me either."

"Uh, neither was I," Rad replied. "What are you doing here, Ms. Masters?"

With a chuckle, Ms. Masters replied, "Relax, Rad, I wasn't saying anything bad about you. At least, not on purpose."

"Ms. Masters was just telling me that you were doing fine in school," Rad's mother assured her son, "despite a few minor problems."

"Which I was just getting to when you came in," Ms. Masters added. Returning her attention to Rad's mother, she continued, "For the past few weeks, two students have been harassing Rad both in and around school. It hasn't been major, but I'm a little concerned that it may turn into something physical. And considering this isn't exactly the smartest of school systems that he's in, he's more likely to take the brunt of the pain than the other kids."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised," Rad's mother replied. She turned to her son and noted, "Well, go on, take a seat."

Rad, still a little surprised and nervous by his teacher being in his living room, slowly sat down.

"Anyway, I am surprised that you'd come and talk about this," Rad's mother continued.

Ms. Masters gave a sympathetic smile, and noted, "I got my share of teasing when I was a kid, too, Mrs. Robinson. It stopped once I grew a bit, but even then, life wasn't easy. I know what he's going through, and I want to help as much as I can."

Rad blinked, then said, "Wow. Uh, thanks."

Ms. Masters turned to him and noted, "Like I said, I know what you're going through." Rising from her seat, she added, "Well, I'd better get going. If anything happens that I hear about, you'll know it."

"Thank you, Ms. Masters," Mrs. Robinson replied. "I appreciate hearing about this."

"It was no trouble," Ms. Masters said. She turned to Rad and noted, "Enjoy the weekend, Rad."

"Thanks, I will," Rad replied as Ms. Masters exited, still a little astounded.

* * *

As Ms. Masters exited the Robinson home and climbed into her car, she thought on Rad and his problems with Billy and Fred. She remembered how she had felt, dealing with the kids who had teased her. Sadly for Rad, he did not have genetics to bail him out.

She took one last look at the house before driving off, then noted, "I hope you'll be okay, Rad. I'd hate to see Crossroads turned into another Columbine because of Billy. I'd hate to see that kind of war zone."

Suddenly, she noticed something in the open garage. Rad's bicycle had apparently changed colors and shape since the morning.

With a sigh, Ms. Masters noted to herself, "Diana, you've been working too hard. You're starting to go crazy."

She drove off. High Wire transformed to robot mode and noted, "It seems that humans have had quite a taste of what we've been through."

* * *

Back at the _Ark_, Red Alert and Smokescreen drove along the side of Mt. Saint Hilary, taking scans of the mountainside. As they neared the area where the Mini-Con stasis unit had been found, they transformed and stopped.

"Well Smokescreen, this is where we earn our Energon," Red Alert noted. "Let's start scanning. Maybe we'll get lucky and find another Mini-Con stasis unit in the area."

"At least we'll see whether this volcano will blow anytime soon or not," Smokescreen added.

A small scanner dish deployed on Smokescreen's left arm, allowing him to perform a deep scan of the mountainside. Red Alert, meanwhile, simply used his primary sensors to scan the mountainside.

"So, what do you think of Earth so far?" Smokescreen asked.

"It's not half bad," Red Alert noted. "It can't hold much of a candle to Cybertron, but it does have a certain charm. What do you think of those kids?"

"They're something," Smokescreen replied. "A lot like Hot Shot and Blurr, really. A bit more energetic, though. Whatever their equivalent to Energon is, they must take a lot of it." His scans finished, and he reported, "No sign of another Mini-Con stasis unit from this end, Red. Although from the looks of things, we won't have to worry about this guy blowing its top on us."

"I'm reading the same," Red Alert noted. "At least we won't have to worry about any lava baths."

"And we have some good news for Prime," Smokescreen noted. "C'mon, let's get back to base."

* * *

Inside the _Ark_ itself, Scavenger silently worked on the consoles, checking the ship's energy supplies.

"Any good news, Scavenger?" Optimus Prime asked.

"Yes, thankfully," Scavenger replied. "Our Energon reserves should last about point-three stellar cycles before they run out, and our sensors have determined about six or seven possible Mini-Con stasis unit signatures."

"That is good news," Optimus noted. "Any thoughts on dealing with the Energon?"

"Well, we have two options," Scavenger replied. "Either ask for more from home, or find some way to collect some from here."

"We can't risk the Decepticons picking up on our ship's signal with a long-distance warp gate," Optimus noted. "Any ideas about gathering energy here, under the human radar?"

"None, but Red and Smokescreen will most likely think of something," Scavenger replied. A small panel beeped, and he reported, "It's Hot Shot and Jolt, they're back from taking the kids home."

"That's good to hear," Optimus replied.

* * *

Standing near the main hatch as Hot Shot and Jolt arrived was Blurr, keeping an eye out with one gun at the ready.

"So, how'd it go?" Blurr asked.

"No problems," Hot Shot replied. "A few minor bumps, but nothing special. How are things back here?"

"Like you said, no problems," Blurr said.

"Glad to hear it," Hot Shot noted. He began walking into the base, but stopped, and noted, "Listen, Blurr, I'm sorry about earlier. Truth be told, you probably would beat me on the Iacon Race Circuit. You're more aerodynamic than I am, anyway."

"Yeah, you've got a point," Blurr noted. "Although, you do have Jolt. And my weapons pods do ruin the airflow a bit. I guess we'd probably be evenly matched as it stands." Rising to his full height, he noted, "Right now, though, our main priority is the mission. We're here to save the Mini-Cons, not fight amongst ourselves, like Scavenger said." One optic slightly larger than the other, he finished, "Just don't get a big head. I wouldn't be a proper partner if I let you get yourself terminated, now would I?"

A slight grin growing on his face, Hot Shot noted, "I guess not. Thanks, Blurr."

"No problem," Blurr replied as the two continued walking into the base.

Standing a slight ways behind them, Jolt watched the bonding display with a slight bit of pride. "Nice to see those two get along," he noted to himself before following behind them.

* * *

Elsewhere on the moon stood the remains of a lunar lander, one of the last traces of the Earth's early pushes into space. A lunar rover, an American flag, and several pieces of wreckage remained, telling the story of humanity's claiming of the moon. Kept unharmed in the untouched environment of the moon, they would remain as symbols of humanity's determination long after other such symbols would be reduced to trash.

At least, until they themselves became trash.

Within seconds, the remaining portions of the lunar lander were destroyed in a barrage of fire from Demolishor's cannons and missiles.

"Well, that's not half bad," Demolishor admitted.

Standing with him were the other Decepticons. Starscream carried a small computation pad with him, and was already in the process of making calculations.

"Analysis, Starscream," Megatron commanded.

"Unaided by a Mini-Con and hampered by normal Earth gravity and atmosphere, I would say that Demolishor's projectile weapons would have an accurate range of approximately two-point-oh-one parsecs," Starscream reported. "Thus far, he's second with Thrust first and Cyclonus third."

"Beaten by only a couple micro-parsecs," Cyclonus noted. "Just great."

"Don't count yourself out too much, Cyclonus," Thrust added. "You forget, he can't fly in vehicle mode. You can."

"A point well noted, Thrust," Megatron noted. "Well then, Starscream, where is the next firing range the humans have so graciously prepared for us?"

"A few clicks from our position," Starscream said, pointing in their desired direction. "That way."

"Very well then," Megatron noted, transforming to his tank mode and trundling off, Demolishor following suit. Thrust, Cyclonus, and Starscream followed after them silently on foot.

* * *

After dinner, a long speech from his parents, and dealing with his homework for the weekend, Rad silently made his way into the garage, where High Wire stood waiting for him in her alternate mode.

"What a day," he noted to himself, slumping down on the floor as High Wire transformed to robot mode.

"Rad, tell me, that woman who left shortly after we arrived, was she your..." High Wire began, looking for the right words, "...maternal care unit?"

"You mean my mother?" Rad replied. "No. That was Ms. Masters, one of my teachers at school. She's worried about me. Why?"

"She mentioned something as she left, hoping that something called 'Crossroads' would not become like something else, called 'Columbine'," High Wire noted. "Crossroads is apparently the name of your learning facility, considering she is a teacher. But what was Columbine? Another school?"

"Yeah, one that a lot of people still think about," Rad answered. "A few years ago, these two kids went into it and killed themselves and thirteen other students. They had been harassed for years before that by other students, with very few people doing anything about it."

A slight smile to her optics, High Wire noted, "She shouldn't be that worried. You do not seem the type to do anything that extreme. Climb a volcano, yes, but not kill someone. Besides, those who cause such events are easily put in their place by others who are far more vicious than they are. As you humans say, there is always a bigger fish."

"Yeah, I guess so," Rad replied. "So, do you think anything will happen? To me, or anyone?"

"Not even the wisest can tell the future, Rad," High Wire noted. "Only this is certain. The war for my people, and perhaps yours, has begun."

* * *

That same evening, a lone figure looked over the area of Mt. Saint Hilary as twilight began to settle in.

"So it begins," he noted to himself.

With those words, he walked away from the _Ark_, disappearing into the night. On the ground, just outside the _Ark _itself, Optimus Prime and Sparkplug stood, looking into the sky.

"So it begins," Optimus noted.

Sparkplug silently nodded in agreement.

* * *

Megatron stood at the rim of a lunar crater, looking towards the Earth.

"So it begins," he said to himself with a slight chuckle.

Unbeknownst to him, Starscream watched from a distance. "Indeed it does," he noted silently. "Indeed it does."

The End


	2. Chapter 1 ReEdit

Moving In

A Transformers: Armada Story

By William Rendfeld

_:"Replication process commencing – rebuild cycle will complete in five kliks.":_

"So these…CR Chamber things…are gonna do for the Autobots what those stasis pods did for you guys?"

"Yep." Keeping his optics on a console display as Carlos looked in amazement over the massive golden-yellow chambers, Grindor was nonetheless glad for the human boy's interest and that the operating procedures hadn't changed much. One wrong command could either mean humor at a bot's misplaced part, or medical emergency if the sequence didn't go smoothly because of conflicting data the nanites might've received. "Unfortunately, it's not a perfect process – some portions of our technology can't be properly disguised, so we can't get an exact replica of a given vehicle, but these new vehicle modes should be enough to help keep the 'Bots from getting too much attention."

The young man gave an appreciative whistle. "Never thought I'd get a close look at tech like this." Looking at the Mini-Con with eager eyes, he all but begged with hands clasped, "Can I touch it? I promise, I won't press any buttons!"

A laugh. "You shouldn't hurt anything. Go right ahead."

As Carlos felt about the device, his two friends looked about the _Ark_'s expansive repair bay. "And all this is just the stuff for repairing you guys? Man, this is awesome!" Noticing the lack of response from his hosts, Rad turned around. "Sparkplug? You alright?"

The yellow Mini-Con's shutters blinked before he gave a wry smile. "Sorry, Rad. My processor was somewhere else for a nano-klik. No offense, I'm glad we've met you three… I just wish it was under different circumstances and that we weren't making you potential targets."

"Hey, come on – it's not like you can change how it happened." Remembering the incident in the pod, Alexis couldn't help but sigh a little. "Besides, it's more our fault that the Decepticons are here in the first place."

He shook his head, still trying not to fathom the negative possibilities that might've happened to the humans. "Still, I don't like the idea of you three or your world being targets because we crashed here. We Mini-Cons leaving Cybertron was my suggestion… and now thanks to it, we've turned this planet into a target."

Sureshock placed a comforting hand on Sparkplug's shoulder. "It was no fault of yours that we crashed here, either. Whatever the circumstances, we are here now. That isn't about to change. For the time being, we simply have to make do."

"Speaking of, how long until the Autobots emerge from those things?" Alexis jerked her head at the much larger pods. "As cool as it is being with you guys, we all need to get home before our parents call the police on us."

"I wouldn't be concerned, Alexis – as said, the process takes roughly five kliks," Jolt answered, checking through the readings. "Converting that to Earth time gives us exactly six minutes, and assuming that my internal chronometer is correct, the process should finish about… now."

A chime sounded throughout the chamber, alerting those within that the CR Chambers had completed their work. The gathered Mini-Cons and their human friends stepped back as best they could as the hatches on the individual chambers opened one by one, the Autobots inside emerging. The kids watched in awe as six vehicles, easily recognized as a large red and blue semi cab, a green and purple bulldozer, an SUV with emergency markings, an orange and grey utility truck, a deep grey sports car and a yellow and black sports car rolled to a halt before them. With a call of "Autobots, transform!" from the semi, all six shifted in shape, taking on bipedal forms and soon inspecting their reformatted bodies.

"Not bad – I like it!" Hot Shot smiled as he flexed his arms and legs. "Granted, not a wide field of vision, but I can adjust."

A soft laugh. "The sooner the better. You and I both know we'll be back in the training simulators before too long, and I don't want to get knocked out by a training drone just because you can't see something sneaking up behind you."

Blurr's comment caused the yellow and red Autobot to give a nervous chuckle. Smokescreen, meanwhile, smirked before turning his attention back to the kids. "So, how do we look?"

"You look cool, especially compared to some of the paint jobs I've seen at my family's auto shop." Carlos scratched his chin. "I still don't get how you guys manage to transform like that."

"It's a complicated process, but easy enough assuming everything's properly aligned." Red Alert ran a quick self-diagnostic, flexing the fingers on his one hand and swapping between his medical laser and multi-tool on the other. "As far as I can tell, that's exactly the case. No system glitches or problems of any kind."

"Good. We're going to be busy for the foreseeable future and the fewer problems we have, the better." Satisfied with his own frame, Optimus knelt down to the children's level. "Right now, however, we need to get you three home."

"And what about keeping track of them?" Scavenger crossed his arms. "You've said it yourself, those three could end up being targets for the Decepticons. We'll need someone to keep an eye on them."

The three members of the Street Action Team stepped forward after conversing between themselves. "I believe we may have a temporary solution, Optimus. Our vehicle forms are close to the proper size of common small Earth vehicles used by children their age, and their own personal transport modes were destroyed in the battle with Megatron. We can easily replace them and keep the children safe."

The Autobot leader narrowed his optics uneasily. "That's a big risk, High Wire. You three will be vulnerable if you're spotted, and I don't even want to think about how you'll recharge." The options working in his head, he admitted, "Still, we don't have many other options. Until we can come up with a better idea, you three are with the children." Just as Rad was about to call out in joy, Optimus raised a warning finger. "But be careful – we don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

Sureshock looked to Alexis in approval. "I think we can manage that."

"Good. Now, to get you three home." He looked to the two young recruits. "Hot Shot, you and Jolt will escort them back to their respective living quarters. Seeing how well you two worked together in battle, I think partnering you up might be a good idea, and this'll give you a good chance to get to know one another."

"Yes sir!" The young Autobot transformed back to vehicle mode and popped open his doors. "C'mon kids, hop in."

* * *

"This is the best this planet has to offer for powerful vehicle forms? I look like a piece of scrap!" Cyclonus whined at the Seeker in protest. "Couldn't you have picked something a little more streamlined?"

Starscream clamped down the urge to snap a biting comment, and instead pinched the bridge of his olfactory sensor with a thumb and forefinger. It was a gesture he had unconsciously picked up after going through cycles of material from the Internet, and there was PLENTY from which to pick up odd habits without realizing it. "The CR Chambers can't work miracles, Cyclonus. The vehicle forms we assumed had to work with our normal body forms as parameters. Besides, we have little time or resources to do otherwise."

As he glanced over his own rebuilt form, Demolishor noted, "Well, at least I'm close to my old body. Don't think a mobile missile battery's going to be unnoticed on Earth, though."

"What presence we have upon that mudball will have to be minimal, then." Deploying sharp claws from the ends of his engine-like hands, Thrust flexed his fingers, looking over them with little approval. "A shame – this design may not be technically impressive, but it does have its own elegance."

"We did not assume these vehicle modes for the purposes of vanity." Megatron all but barreled through his subordinates, his own form showing minor changes to aid in his efforts on Earth. "As Starscream has assured me, these forms are for the purposes of stealth. And given Prime's fondness for smaller, meeker lifeforms, he'll no doubt follow a similar course. For the time being, however, our priorities lie with locating the Mini-Cons before the Autobots are able to do so."

"I've already programmed the ship's sensors to initiate a planetary scan for any Mini-Con escape pods on Earth, Lord Megatron. Assuming they aren't too far underground or have no interference from other conditions, the activation beacon on the first pod should have sent an automatic signal to the rest." The large Seeker deployed a sword from one of his new wings. "For now, however, I think its best that we get an idea of what these vehicle modes are capable of. We'll be able to formulate strategies against the Autobots better with that information available to us."

"Very well. Decepticons, follow me and exit the ship. We have weapons to test."

The warlord made his way out of the repair bay, the other mechs following shortly until Starscream was left to himself. "And for the time being, perhaps Cybertron will be a bit more quiet." He typed several commands on the console before departing as well.

* * *

"Look at this! All this damage, this devastation!" The Decepticon turned to his subordinates, alarm still clear on his face. "How could our intelligence have been so wrong?"

"My apologies, Lord Straxus – all indicators pointed towards Megatron plotting an attack upon one of the Energon refineries in Kalis. When we pulled security forces from this position, we were certain…"

Obsidian was knocked aside as his fellow aide interrupted. "Not important! Tankor find bad bots – Tankor SMASH bad bots!"

A smug grunt escaped Atlas' audio emission module as he watched the Decepticon leader interact with his subordinates. "With mechs like that under him, it's no wonder the 'Cons are slagged up." A glare from his superior prompted an addendum. "Not that those two aren't capable."

"They're also on our side, Atlas, and until that changes, we need to be respectful." Turning his attention from the arrogant flier towards other matters, Ultra Magnus accessed the communications lines. "Any good news up there, Air Raid?"

_:"Depends on your definition of 'good' – no sign of Megajerk's forces as far as the optic can see. They must've bolted as soon as the ship took off.":_

"And no point chasing after them without a trail to follow. Fine - rendezvous with us in ten kliks, then we'll head back to the Decagon. Magnus out."

Crossing his arms as he surveyed the damage, King Atlas could only guess at the rogue Decepticon's motives. "Any chance they just want to try and spring the Crashers?"

"Were Megatron that loyal to his forces, the Eclipse Team would still be at his beck and call rather than be lost to history." The two turned as a white and red Decepticon approached, a welcoming expression on his face. "Besides, everyone on Cybertron knows of the beacon by now – odds are the Mini-Cons are his more likely target." He offered a hand. "My thanks for coming, Magnus. Your insight is always valued."

The large Autobot took the offered hand. "Likewise, Wreckage. Anything you can tell us about this?"

"What is there to tell? No doubt this is a simple intelligence failure. We were under the impression that Megatron would be raiding for Energon, not stealing a spacecraft. And unfortunately for us, he chose well; the ship he stole was our newest Scimitar-class ship, the _Nemesis_."

"Fast, heavily armored, and capable of being manned by a skeleton crew. Exactly the kind of ship he can use." Turning his attention elsewhere, he asked, "Any casualties?"

"Fortunately, very few – none dead, few injured. The worst thing hit was my pride…and probably Roadblock's as well, once he sees this damage. Still, it could have been much worse, and there may be a positive side to all of this."

Atlas regarded the Decepticon with disbelief. "Such as?"

Wreckage smiled wryly. "Many of Megatron's soldiers are loyal to him only out of fear. With him cut off from the bulk of his supporters here on Cybertron and left on Earth for the foreseeable future, now may be a chance to weaken his power base."

"Have you brought this up with Straxus?"

"I have, but Obsidian and Tankor vetoed the idea – the former argued that returning him in captivity was best, while the latter wanted him reduced to scrap. Still, I doubt I'm the only one to whom the thought may have occurred."

Magnus looked about once more and noted, "I hope you're right."

* * *

After dropping Carlos and Alexis with Grindor and Sureshock at their respective homes, Hot Shot finally pulled up to the curb near the edge of Rad's neighborhood, the Street Action Team leader Powerlinked to his spoiler to mimic being attached to his rear. High above, Jolt hovered and took detailed scans, mapping out the terrain for future use. Prior to entering the city proper, the yellow mech had created a holoform of a college student so as not to draw too much suspicion (although he did startle the middle school students in the process before quickly explaining). "Think this is close enough?"

"Yeah, my parents might get worried if I pull up in a stranger's car." The Autobot's passenger-side door popped open, allowing Rad to jump out while stuffing his odds and ends into his backpack. High Wire popped from her port, and the young boy took hold of her handlebars in order to help complete the illusion. "Thanks for the lift!"

"Hey, no problem!" The yellow sports car pulled away from the curb and drove off towards his next destination, leaving boy and Mini-Con to themselves.

It only took a few more minutes for Rad to walk back to his home, both relieved and a little disappointed that the day's excitement was over. As much as he enjoyed making first contact with alien robots, he was just as happy to be back in the comfort of suburbia. Glad that no one was out watching, he carefully whispered to the bicycle, "Hey, you don't mind me leaving you in the garage, right?"

"I was under the impression bicycles were supposed to go in such places."

The young boy took that as a yes, then carefully entered and stored the Mini-Con away. Hopefully, his parents wouldn't notice that his bike was suddenly a lot sturdier than before and had slightly different colors. If anything, he could always bluff that a random kid had exchanged his old one for the "new one". Leaving the garage and entering his house proper, he called out, "Hey Mom, I'm back!"

"I'm in the kitchen, Bradley!" His mother's head poked out from a doorway. "I thought you were going to call for a pick-up. Did Carlos' parents bring you home? I didn't see their car pull up out front."

"They let me off at the end of the block, figured I needed the exercise." His mother kept her gaze firmly fixed upon him, getting him worried. "What's wrong?"

"I got a call from one of your teachers today, something about a pair of bullies bothering you?"

Slightly relieved, Rad relaxed. "Mom, I'm not doing anything to provoke them."

"I didn't think so. Just make sure to avoid them if possible – the way your teacher talked, they'll leave you alone when she's around, but she can't stick around forever." Going from nurturing to stern, she beckoned. "Now go and wash up – dinner's in an hour, and I expect you to be clean and those clothes in the laundry before the table's set."

The young boy gave a playful salute. "Yes ma'am, on my way."

* * *

Pulling up alongside Mt. Saint Hilary, Smokescreen transformed and deployed the sensor dish on his left arm. He looked up at the large cinder cone uneasily, briefings concerning volcanoes on Animatros flashing through his processor. Satisfied at the lack of volcanic activity, the Autobot activated his communicator. "I've just finished my sensor sweep of the mountain. Good news is we don't need to worry about a volcano erupting anytime soon. Bad news is that I'm not picking up any additional escape pods from the _Exodus_. Chances are the one the kids found was the only one in the area – how they did it I have no idea."

_:"I may have an explanation for that. The human scientists have been monitoring activity from a more distant volcanic site for some time – odds are that may be responsible for revealing the lava tube the kids found.":_

The bulky Autobot snorted humorlessly. "Great… We land in the middle of a field of extinct volcanoes, only to end up in range of an active one. You got any more good news for me, Red?"

_:"Some – there are small reports of interference in human communication services across the planet, but mostly situated in its Western hemisphere. I suspect the cause is a combination of the activation signal and the distress beacon from the first escape pod.": _

"So we might have an idea of where to look. That is good news." He turned skyward. "Think we'll be able to fill in Cybertron?"

_:"Doubtful. If we send out any sort of subspace communication, the Decepticons will pick up on it almost immediately. I'm still trying to figure out a low-powered means of communication that won't be easily detected yet still have the needed range.":_

"Well, here's hoping we can figure something out." His internal computers chimed, and Smokescreen transformed back to vehicle mode. "Deep scans finished. I'm on my way back – keep the loading ramp open for me!"

* * *

"…We're pretty sure the ship's on its way to Earth after the Mini-Cons, but I'd keep your sensors going just in case."

An unimpressed grunt from the Autobot mech on the other end of the comm.-line. _:"With all the prisoners we've got over here, vigilance is the watchword. Just make sure none of Megatron's empties get this chance again – they're bad enough confined to Cybertron.":_

The Autobot second-in-command restrained himself from speaking out – as much as he appreciated Kup's wisdom, the old mech was more often than not a pain in the diode. The head of the Cybertron Defense Forces, once a mighty cross-faction group dedicated to the defense of Cybertron against off-world invasion, he'd seen everything, survived everything, and wasn't one to mess with or disrespect. His associate on the other end, a smaller femme colored silver and deep pink, was another matter – far more relaxed than the old soldier, Elita One was one of the senior femmes in the Autobot military and one of Optimus' closest confidants, at times closer than Jetfire himself. _:"I think Jetfire understands the severity of our problem, Kup.":_ She turned back towards the Autobot Vice Commander and continued, _:"Still, keep us informed when you can concerning the mission on Earth. I know Optimus can take care of himself, but he has his work cut out for him.":_

He answered with an affirming nod. "Easily done, Elita. The nano-klik I know anything, you'll be the first I tell. Give my best to Cerebros, and tell Silverbolt he still owes me a rematch – no mech out-flies me twice."

The femme laughed._ :"Will do, old friend. Autobase Nebulos out.": _

The screen flashed off, and Jetfire slumped back. As happy as he was to keep his comrades informed, he'd feel better about having something to inform them about – there was no way of telling how quickly word would come from Earth, or even if a transmission could come. The question was no longer _when_ the transmission would come, but _if_ a transmission could come…and given the possible worst-case scenario, that Megatron would find the _Ark_ and launch an all-out attack, word from Earth was becoming less and less likely.

* * *

"So, how do the energon supplies look?" Optimus asked, carrying two receptacles of said resource in liquid form.

Scavenger looked up from the display, accepting one. "Good, for now. The reserves onboard should last us roughly a stellar cycle, assuming all we do is keep ourselves recharged and repaired and maintain the cloak. Eventually, however, we are going to need to find some additional energy sources."

"I've asked Red Alert to look into it. Hopefully, he'll think of something. That aside, how do you think your two trainees are handling things?"

The bulldozer gave a small chuckle. "Blurr's being his usual stoic self, but he doesn't seem to mind being out here. Hot Shot, however, seems to be taking the relocation well – this is the best-adjusted I've seen him since he entered my program. Coming to Earth is probably one of the best things for him. It isn't surprising, given that he won't be seeing much of Atlas for a while." Glancing at his commander, he asked, "Why was he given the position of Aerospace Commander?"

Prime tilted his head. "Jealous?"

"Hardly. The mech doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. Slag, he pressed for Hot Shot to be tried for dereliction of duty after the incident with Wheeljack. It was only after Checkpoint's independent investigation that it was called off." Scavenger scrutinized the red-and-blue semi, resting his elbows on the console. "You didn't do it out of guilt, did you?"

"No. I did it because for all his faults, Atlas provides a great deal of healthy debate and discussion among the upper echelons. And while he knows that it's because of my decisions that he's on my senior staff, he isn't afraid to question me or the others. Sometimes, you need that. Besides, as long as he's there, I can keep an optic on him."

The old bulldozer quirked an optic ridge – despite Optimus having been given a spark sooner than he, Scavenger had nonetheless been something of a mentor to the Autobot leader and had taught him a thing or two about fighting and about leadership. Sometimes, however, he wondered about the Autobot leader's choices. "But you aren't there to keep an optic on him anymore. Who's going to keep him in line now?"

"That's Grimlock's job."

Despite himself, the old mech grinned. A chirrup from his communicator, however, interrupted his reverie. "Yes?"

_:"Blurr here. Hot Shot and Jolt are on their way back in – the kids made it home safe.":_

"Good news then – once he's back, head inside and close up. I think you two have earned your rest cycle." The signal closed out. "Is all that why you wanted him on this mission?"

The Autobot commander gave his old friend an enigmatic look. "Hot Shot needs a chance to grow and find himself. With luck, this mission will be exactly that."

* * *

"So, how'd it go?"

Hot Shot transformed as he approached the entry ramp, skidding slightly to a halt on remembering the presence of friction beneath his tires. "Not too bad. It's gonna be a while adjusting to the traffic laws… not to mention the road conditions."

"Concrete a bit bumpy for you?"

"No, but the potholes I can do without." Jolt buzzed into the ship past the two Autobots as they ascended the entry ramp. "How long do you think it'll be before the next pod's found?"

Blurr looked at his fellow recruit with surprise. "Why do you ask? Are you suddenly eager for another fight, or trying to be the brave hero we saw in all those recruitment vids?"

"What makes you think I want to get into another battle this quick?" The young Autobot turned to his friend and explained, "I don't know if it's a good thing or not, but Optimus has kept his optics on me for a while now. I just don't want to let him down, y'know?"

The blue and grey Autobot remained silent before chuckling softly. "I think I understand. I wouldn't worry about it, either – he wouldn't want us on this mission unless he had faith in our ability to get the job done. We aren't here just because he felt like bringing along a couple protos like us for a laugh. Whatever the reasoning, we're here, and that's what matters." Had he a mouth, the racer would have grinned. "Besides, there's no way I'm letting some berserk Decepticon blow you out of the sky, not after everything we've been through."

A laugh from the yellow and red Autobot. "Like that'll happen. Between the two of us, they won't know what hit 'em."

"Ahem." The two looked down to see Jolt tapping his foot in mock anger. "The three of us, you mean. Like it or not, you two are stuck with me."

After a couple seconds, Blurr finally laughed. "Fine. Just make sure you can keep up."

* * *

Out on the moon, prominent amidst the ashen grey rocks and dust, stood the remains of Lunar Module-10 _Falcon_'s ascent stage in the southern part of the Sea of Rains, a relic of the Apollo program. Parked nearby were an American flag and a lunar rover that had been part of the Apollo 15 mission, as well several pieces of debris among the rocks from other lunar missions, a reminder of humanity's efforts to expand its knowledge of the universe. Kept unharmed thanks to the moon's lack of atmosphere and sheer dumb luck concerning meteor strikes, they would remain as symbols of mankind's determination long after other such symbols would be reduced to dust.

At least, until they themselves became dust.

With a sickening crunch going through his armor, the remnants of LM-10 were crushed beneath Cyclonus' heel, the result of him not looking where he stepped. He lifted up his foot and inspected the damage with disgust, a relatively small feather falling among the dust. "Eyeaugh. What is it with these humans and their trash?"

"Something tells me these things weren't meant to be taken back." Demolishor studied the terrain around them. "Why would they come here in the first place? They can't live here – this moon isn't habitable like Aegis or Brasta."

"To test their limits." Starscream knelt down for closer examination, catching sight of a small plaque attached to one of the legs that had survived the helo's careless footing – _Apollo 15, Falcon, July 1971_. His optics then went to the rover, finding another plaque – _MANS FIRST WHEELS ON THE MOON, DELIVERED BY FALCON, 1971-07-30. _A quick search via Google – he had to admit, it _was_ one of Earth's greatest contributions – brought up the Apollo program's history, from its great failures to its most spectacular successes, and everything in between. "'We Came in Peace for All Mankind'… They believed it could be done and they proved it could be done, several times. Why they haven't returned yet, however, is far more puzzling…"

"I would spend less time contemplating the achievements of organics and more time dealing with these tests." Looking up into space, Megatron noted, "We will be engaging the Autobots in battle soon enough and the more information we have, the greater our chances. Besides, as Starscream has been so kind to note, stealth is a priority. Aside from this junk, we have this ball of rock to ourselves." The Decepticon warlord transformed back to vehicle mode. "Now, enough sightseeing! We move on!"

As their commander trundled off, Demolishor following in his own vehicle mode, the remaining Decepticons simply walked. "Easy for them to say," Cyclonus muttered, kicking a piece of moon rock. "Lousy thin atmosphere means I can't properly fly out here."

"Your rotors shall receive ample use once we return to Earth, Cyclonus. As will your weapons systems."

The berserker cackled gleefully at Thrust's reassurance, thumping the tactician on the back roughly and ignoring the complaint. Starscream, oblivious to their conversation, kept stealing quick glances back at the _Falcon_'s landing site, and making a note to visit the other five at a later time. As primitive as the design and mechanics it might be by Cybertronian perspectives, it was no less impressive.

_

* * *

_

:"Y'know, I could get to like this. Granted, Carlos' place is a bit cluttered, but his folks seem like decent people.":

_:"As do Alexis' parents. Her father especially speaks of a great many events in his life. If we ever reveal ourselves to humanity, I'll have to speak with him at length concerning his experiences.":_

High Wire allowed herself some joy at her teammate's encounters, reflecting on her own observations – more like eavesdropping – of the Whites. "Assuming he wishes to speak with a robot that turns into a small personal transport. I don't know how Rad's parents will react to me. They seem reasonable, but we all know that appearances can be deceiving."

_:"Something for another day, huh?":_ Grindor's chuckle came just as his proximity alert went off. _:"Looks like everyone's starting to shut down out here. We'd better do the same.":_

"Agreed. Enjoy the evening, team."

The Mini-Con's transmission cut off as the door leading into Rad's house cracked open, the boy already in his night clothes. "High Wire? You okay in here?"

"I appreciate you checking on my status, Rad, but it's unnecessary." Noticing the boy's curious expression, she asked, "Is something the matter?"

"No, I'm just wondering if you're going to need to plug into the wall or something. To, y'know, recharge or whatever."

A low chuckle. "That won't be necessary. My Energon cells will sustain me for approximately two mega-cycles – a little over one week by Earth standards. When the time comes, I can easily contact the Autobots and be rejuvenated aboard the _Ark_. Getting there unnoticed, however, remains the problem."

"You'll figure something out though, right? I mean, it's not like Optimus or Hot Shot can't drive through and pick you up once a week or so."

"Perhaps…still, whatever is decided upon, now is not the time for me to worry about it." She twitched her headlight at Rad, giving him the sense of her looking at his direction. "Shouldn't you be entering a rest cycle by now?"

The boy grinned. "Hey, you gotta have fun some time, right? Anyway, if you need anything, just…signal me somehow. And…"

"Try to keep from being seen. I doubt that will be difficult. Enjoy your evening, Rad." As the boy departed, the Mini-Con noted, "At least, do so while you can."

_

* * *

_

:"With all due respect, my lord, with Megatron gone, we may stand a chance of decreasing the numbers of his followers. For every Decepticon that follows him out of a desire for power or misguided loyalty, there are just as many that follow him out of fear. With him gone, we may be able to reach out and convince them to leave him.":

"And how do we know which ones are safe to reach out to, Wreckage?" Straxus shook his head. "I value your input, and your idea is not without merit. For now, however, I must follow the advice of Tankor and Obsidian – Megatron's capture or destruction will do more to end his cause than simply convincing his soldiers to walk away. However… I will consider the matter." The screen before him flashed off with a nod from Wreckage, and the legitimate Decepticon leader looked to his advisors. "I'd like a list of any potential members of Megatron's forces who may be turned within the next mega-cycle. If we pursue Wreckage's plan, I'd like at least some assurance of success."

"Agreed, Lord Straxus. It shall be done."

"And if they not join us, they get SMASHED!"

Satisfied, the politician turned and departed. As the hatch sealed shut behind him, his two advisors turned and moved in the opposite direction, a high-pitched squeal sounding off from Obsidian's rotors. "Wreckage's thoughts aren't without merit – many only serve our lord out of fear."

"The fools. As if Straxus is in any way a better leader for our people. Under Megatron's guidance, we will take our rightful place of dominance over Cybertron and the rest of the galaxy. And once his control is assured…" A buzz saw spun to life on Tankor's arm, his words far from the façade of a simple-minded mech. "…well, we'll see who does and does _not_ get smashed."

The two shared a dark laugh as they continued through the dimly-lit hallways. It was only a matter of time before they would cast off their ruses and take their proper place beside their leader. For now, however, they would play their roles – after all, the more work is put into a victory, the sweeter it tastes.

* * *

He stood perched at the peak of Mt. Saint Hilary, optics fixed upon the cloaking field around the _Ark_. While he couldn't see the ship, he could easily tell that something was there – the depressions from the docking struts in the ground easily gave the ship away if one looked carefully enough. Content that the vessel would remain grounded for the time being, he chuckled darkly before disappearing into the night.

Within the vessel itself, Optimus silently studied the sensor data gathered since his team's arrival, as well as various media feeds. He reflected on the number of Mini-Cons that had survived to flee Cybertron aboard the ship – one hundred and fifty-six, as his memories served him – meaning a total of twenty-six pods scattered across the planet. A daunting task, he had to admit, but one that needed to be done.

One down, twenty-five to go…

* * *

Their tests done, all the Decepticons save Megatron had returned to their ship. Their leader, meanwhile, kept his attention upon the Earth as it came into view above. He smiled – as many pods as there were, he doubted that the Autobots would be able to find them all. For the time being, it was a race, pure and simple… one that he was certain he would win. With an ominous chuckle, he noted, "It begins."

Unbeknownst to him, Starscream watched from the _Nemesis_' landing hatch. The Seeker looked Earthward and echoed softly, "Indeed it does."

The End


End file.
